Speak Filipino: Degrees of Adjective

Changing adjectives' intensity (degree) in the Filipino language is somewhat different from the rules in the English Language.  In English, the Comparative Degree of adjective is done just by adding the prefix '-er' to the root word  or just putting the  expression 'more' before it - the previous one is just the option. Using the expression 'mas' (same as 'more' in the English language) to express comparative degree or comparison of two persons or things. 



In the Superlative Degree, we just use the prefix 'pinaka-' to express adjective on its highest intensity. If ever you want to mean for example the 'most industrious' you will end-up with:

pinakamasipag (conjugation: pinaka- + masipag -root word)

In English, most words that have three or more syllables form their Superlative Degree by using the word 'most' preceding the adjective.

cou-ra-geous (3 syllables)  becomes  most courageous 
pro-mi-nent   (3 syllables) becomes most prominent
cap-ti-va-ting (4 syllables) becomes most captivating

On the other hand, adjectives consisting of one or two syllables will form Superlative Degree by adding the suffix '-est' to the root word.

dark (single syllable) becomes darkest
pretty (two syllables) becomes prettiest 


* Note that there's another rule here, ending in consonant 'y', 'y' in pretty is changed to 'i +est', in Filipino language there is no such rule. The root word are always kept the same even a prefix  is added.

I hope to have given you some clear understanding about comparison in the Filipino language, come back to read more. Thanks for following me on G+ and Twitter. 


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